Isle of Wight Coastline Ride

yeah there's a good gravel loop available although that is still on my to do list

Here's my edited highlights of Sunday's ride

Smells Like Summer

Is there a link to the gravel route?

I can give you two as it happens. I haven't ridden either but the first one has been ridden by mates and they really enjoyed it
https://www.strava.com/routes/2838371822397013268

and the second is from this interesting & in-depth accompanying article
https://www.strava.com/routes/2838396719061089990

I grew up on the Island and devised this a couple of years ago, with a view to it joining the Racing Collective calendar. It takes in the 5 highest points of the Island (hence a couple of out and backs) and is a pretty big day out...

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31012079

Many thanks. That second route looks ace to combine with an overnight stop.

I think that's more or less the route we did. Over 2 days. We extended it a bit so rather than taking the direct route back to Ryde on day 2, we did more in the middle and hugged the east coast after that.

One of us did it on a gravel bike. Although he was complaining about some of the bumpier surfaces by the end.

Having ridden the road loop too, I'd choose the off road option 10 times out of 10. Unless it's wet.

Going to go for a loop around the island tomorrow. It's a WSW wind forecast, that means I'm better off going counter clockwise for the side/tail wind along military road?

Yes. Get blown up military road and along the exposed southern roads. From Portsmouth? There’s a group from Royal Marine Association CC going over tomorrow on the 8am. Say hi to them. They are a great bunch and very experienced at going around the island.

perfect thanks, From Portsmouth yep, aiming for the 7.20 ferry but maybe the 8 if I wake up later, but I'll make sure I say hello if I see them!

I did the randonnee in May, grotty weather, windy, and properly out of riding shape - still bloody great fun though! Great route, excellent roads, and some brilliant views.

Have done it before with a club, when the weather was nicer, and obviously that makes a huge difference. Tomorrow should be good, I think.

Didn't make it in the end, and realised that I can book tickets with ClubCard points to save some cash.

Will probably go on 25th as IOW festival next weekend which might be a bit busy.

Time for the annual loop again Sat. Anyone been around recently? Any new cafes or stops worth visiting?

Didn't stop I have to admit, but this looked great. https://www.offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk/

Hello! Yes (I live here).

New bakery in Cowes called The Lost Mill looks 10/10, though I've not tried it yet and it might be very inconvenient depending on where you're starting from. Oh - I see Portsmouth, so by the time you get to Cowes it'll probably be shut.

Off The Rails, as someone has just mentioned, is quite nice but I find the vibe of it a bit weird, it's basically a restaurant but has shit opening times and is normally really busy inside. Weather on Saturday looks fine so shouldn't be an issue if you want to sit out. Though personally I'd stop in Freshwater Bay just after you come off Military Road; get a pizza here if you're after 2pm: https://www.instagram.com/gusto2go/ - and the beer bus should be open which is right by the beach. If you're before 2pm there's a new cafe opened opposite the beach called The Surf Shack or something but that looks a bit basic. There's also the Piano Cafe and Dimbola Lodge (more a tea room) but those have both been open for years.

Bembridge will probably be too soon for you to stop but if you are taking a leisurely approach to the day, the White Knuckle Brewery have a brew pub at the Pilot Inn which you'll pass right by the harbour.

That’s been there a few years and yes it is great. Just for warning if approaching via the clockwise route there is a long section of gravel along the disused railway line. I always use my road bike with 28c and they are fine but some riders feel less comfortable riding road bikes off road

Thanks all, few places to look for.

I'll be on the tourer going 13mph this year so not worried about gravel and slowly looking around!

Did you ever complete/ride this route?

Saw IoW rando pop up and thought about doing it then found some grav grav routes in this thread so now torn.

I rode a lot of the west side of it whenever the Queen died/the Tour of Britain stage got cancelled, that was when I last visited.

I think it could be whipped into something pretty decent with a few tweaks. I'll be down that way in March so might give it another go, although I think a big chunk down by Ventnor has fallen into the sea

a big chunk down by Ventnor has fallen into the sea

Wowsers! Ok, best not use your route as I've been known to blindly follow things into bodies of water...

I think doing the road rando is probably more sensible - it'll be a shakedown ride for a 1000k thing in Germany so I might save the grav grav for later

The landslide in Ventnor isn't on the Randonnee route so it shouldn't affect that.

New intel from an islander (me): lovely new coffee shop in Bembridge is now open called Lagom and would be an ideal coffee stop if starting from Yarmouth or Cowes, it's right on the route.

I've not ridden it for ages because I find it really fucking hard at my current cycling ability. The ups and downs over the east of the island are laughably constant and it knackers me so much.

Yeah, I figured it was just the draft gravel route impacted. Would be pretty funny seeing a bunch of hike-a-bike in a 100k rando. :)

Cafe noted.

Sorry, all I can suggest is lower gears and a Trainerroad sub :)

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The ups and downs over the east of the island are laughably constant

I do the full loop once a year and I always forget how horrible it is, and no way reflective of what the stats suggest...

Still I like the ferry ride.

Going to do my annual loop tomorrow and sack off Oxford.

Probably going clockwise for a change, which does mean I won't get to the alpaca cafe until quite late.

Any recommendations of new / nice places to stop? I think Bembridge might be too soon for a stop as will be starting at Fishbourne.

Oh no, I missed this. Where did you end up going in the end?

As of June 2024 the best places are:

• PO41, Yarmouth
  
• Lost Mill or Comicoffee, Cowes
  
• Artisan Coffee, East Cowes
  
• Lagom or Hotbox Bakery, Bembridge
  
• Peddlers, Newchurch
  
• Ventnor Exchange, Ventnor (or if it's a Saturday you may be lucky with Ingrams Yard market, but you'll have to descend into Ventnor to get refreshments there and it's a long way back up so would never be my first choice)
  
• M+J's cafe, or the Post Office, Niton (the latter does pizza and from what I've heard it's amazing)
  
• The Bike Box at Afton Down just before Freshwater Bay, one of the best places to get coffee from on the whole island
  
• Beer bus, Wightwood Pizza in Freshwater Bay
  
• Piano Cafe in Freshwater Bay
  
  

--
There are other nice places not on the route but worth a look if you are here:

• Chessell Pottery Cafe
  
• Cook + Baker, Godshill
  
• The Coffee Bubble, Sandown
  
  
  

bookmarking this for July, thanks!